Not as easy as it looks
by Miss-Paparella
Summary: When Sparrow returns to Camp green lake, she finds things have changed since she was the leader of D-tent....but has she changed too? Rated T for future plotline development.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N I've done my best to replicate the speech as best I can, but I am english and terrible at accents in general, so just go with me on this ok? Constructive critism welcome, obviously, and ideas for the future? I alreayd got an idea of where I wanna take it, but if you got any suggestions let me know!_

As she stepped off the bus, she barely looked round

As she stepped off the bus, she barely looked round. She knew by heart everything there, where the water spigots were and where the warden's hut was. She even knew 'Dr' Pendanski's speech by heart – or as she knew him, 'Mom'.

'Hey Mom.'

She said, skipping off the bus, and the look on his face was a mixture of happiness and disappointment. Everyone who had ever seen her would always be happy to see her again, but under the circumstances, he wasn't happy.

'Now now Scarlet, you said you'd go clean!'

Mom said to her as she rolled her eyes.

'And you said you'd call me by my proper name. How things get lost by the way!'

She said lazily and he shook his head, leading her to Mr Sir's base, where he gave her the overalls without any explanations, she knew exactly how things worked at Camp Green Lake.

'Back to D-tent, Mom?'

She asked, and exasperated, he nodded.

'You know where to go!'

He said, and grinning at him she left the tent. Walking purposefully towards the designated tent which had been her home two months back for eighteen months, she grinned as she saw the changes.

'Scratty, Shift and Tazer got parole then.'

She said to herself, and was surprised to hear a reply.

'Just one left from before.'

She turned to see three shapes silhouetted in the tent opening, the centre one holding a shovel and grinning.

'Hey X-Ray, you still not outta here!'

'You back already?'

He asked, still grinning as she hugged him.

'If only I hadn't got caught…'

She said, with the air of someone reminiscing. X-Ray laughed and gestured to her old bed.

'Your one's empty. This is Armpit and Magnet.'

'S-up.'

'This is Sparrow. She was the leader of D-tent once upon a time.' X-Ray said, pointing between Scarlet and the two flanking him.

Scarlet grinned at them and settled on the bed.

'You know, I'm almost glad I got caught. I've missed it here.' She said, smiling at the ceiling before looking at the others. 'It's gonna be good.' She said, grinning wickedly with a sparkle in her eyes.

She walked the length of the tent and leapt on her bed, which was next to X-Ray's and the second furthest, except for one stretched across the back.

'So, Sparrow…'

X-Ray said, still standing and looking a little awkward.

'I'm under your guidance now X. You still leader here.'

She said easily, with a smile at him. He nodded quietly and she grinned.

'C'mon boy lighten up!'

He grinned at her and she nodded.

'Much better! So what's been goin' on here then? Have I missed much?'

'People's been an gone. We got a new arrival and then another about a week after, that's real recent.'

Armpit said as she curled her legs up on the bed and listened intently.

'So who else we got?'

'You won't meet the newest arrival, Caveman, till later, he's still pretty slow. The second newest, Zero, he's round here somewhere, he's the fastest digger, maybe even as fast as you!'

She shook her head.

'No chance, ain't no-one as fast as me boy!'

X-Ray grinned and Magnet came back in.

'Ol' Zero could give you a run for your money. He like, eats the dirt or sumthin'!'

She didn't say anything, but shook her head doubtfully.

'And the others?'

'Zigzag, he's a bit strange…'

'Squid reckons he got acute paranoia'

'He has I read his file!' A boy said, coming in. He stopped when he saw Sparrow sat on the bed past X-Ray. 'Who are you?'

'Sparrow. Who are you?'

She asked, standing up to look properly at him.

'Squid.' He walked in and she was able to see him properly now as he walked past her and to the end bed, directing his next question to the others.

'How come she got a nickname already?'

'She been here before. Was here before X apparently.'

Squid said nothing for a moment, his eyebrows rising. 'Seriously?' He asked X-Ray, who nodded and looked back round to the door as a much taller person came in.

'Sparrow, this is Zigzag.'

She nodded at him and he nodded back.

'Sparrow was the leader of D-tent when X first came.'

Magnet explained, and Zigzag looked at her curiously.

'Cool. Caveman's just comin' in now. I think he's getting' faster!'

Sparrow checked her watch.

'You mean he's been _slower_ than this?'

She asked, and they nodded, X-Ray a little quieter.

'And you don't do anything?'

She asked, now specifically to X-Ray.

'Things have changed since you left Ro.'

'I can see that.'

She said quietly, and left the tent.


	2. Who Does She Think She Is?

_A/N Well, here's a little more to be getting on with, afraid there is little consequence in this chapter, but I didn't want to overload it. promise the next chapter will create more action! Any ideas for a trick? I did have one, but it's pretty pathetic really, so I wanna change it...but if anyone has any ideas?_

_Thanks to ThisIsPerfection for reviewing as well, hope you like the next chapter!_

Chapter 2. Who does she thinks she is?

'What was all that about?'

The boys pounced on X-Ray as soon as Sparrow had left the tent.

'Who the hell does she think she is to talk to you like that?'

Magnet said, gesturing after her. X-Ray shook his head and they crowded round him.

'So what we gonna do?'

'What do you mean?'

Zigzag asked Armpit, and he held his hands out like it was obvious.

'We need to show her who's boss-'

X-Ray interrupted them as the others began agreeing.

'Hey man, let's not get out of control. You don't know what it used to be like here. She's got her reasons. Just let it go alright?'

He stood up and walked out of the tent and they all turned to each other.

'So what did you have in mind Pit?'

Zigzag asked, and he grinned.

Sparrow walked to the edge of the camp and saw an orange figure coming into the camp.

'Hey, you Caveman?'

He looked up at her and the surprise at her gender showed on his face, and for a moment he just looked at her, up and down, and gulped a little.

'Well I'll take that as a yes. I'm Sparrow. I'm new but I've been here before.'

He nodded, barely listening, and she zipped up her overalls and he seemed to come to. Looking at her face, he saw her, eyebrow cocked and a smile playing on her mouth.

'They say you're the slowest digger in the camp.'

They began walked along together, slowly, and Caveman nodded.

'Yeah. I'm new too, but I just can't get it right.'

'You gotta dig properly. Start the hole by scraping off the top till you get a foothold. Then you need to widen it. It's all in the construction, not just about digging down then out, doesn't work, you need a system. You seen how X-Ray digs his hole?'

She asked him, and he nodded.

'Well, that's how you do it. It's not the fastest, but it's not so hard either, so you don't have to go so hard at it. You can do it quickly if you like, you'll be done pretty fast, but if you just go at a steady pace, you'll find it much more easy going.'

She smiled at him and hit him on the back, leaving him at the water spigot and entering the wreck room.

'Hello Boys.'

_In D-Tent_

'Hey Caveman, you met Sparrow?'

'Yeah, she seems really nice.'

He said, shrugging, as Armpit, Magnet, Zigzag and Squid looked at him disbelieving, X-Ray ignoring them all and Zero watching, interested.

'You can't mean that Caveman?'

Squid said, and he nodded.

'Yeah, why? You guys don't like her?'

'Man, she needs to be taught a lesson about who's in charge here!'

Armpit said, gesturing at X-Ray, who shook his head and turned away, but they all ignored him.

'What you gonna do?'

Caveman asked, and they all grinned at him.

'Knew you'd come round man!'

Magnet said as they filled him in.

Sparrow walked into the tent after the boys had all showered, and sat down on her bed, her hair tied back and her clothes clinging slightly to her in the humidity, but the boys were all ignoring her. She had expected this, having received similar treatment on arriving the first time. Then she had worked her way up, but she was aware that right now, it was X-Ray who was in charge. She was an exception. Kids never got themselves sent back.

She sat cross-legged on her bed and caught Squid's eye, who looked away and went to sit on Armpit's bed and play a game with dice, leaving her quite alone at the end of the tent, not that she minded.

Getting out a notebook and pen, she began to write.

_Day one Giselle!_

_I'm still alive. It's so weird here, you'd barely recognise it. It really sucks having to go through this without you, but X-Ray only has like…three months left. He's the only one left of the old lot. There's a new bunch, and I know they hate me already, but not surprising really. I'll just have to try and remember what I did last time, but I'm sure I can muddle through._

_I know they're gonna try something, they all hate me for being so confident, and I don't blame them, but it isn't half annoying. I should really be subservient, scared, and as a girl crying myself to sleep and being stupid so they can take the piss outta me and eventually take pity on me._

_No chance._

_I know that when I was a leader, any cocky kid was soon put in his place, and I'm sure they'll try and sort me out. Shame I know every trick in the book and could see it coming a mile off. I'm not sure whether to just go along with it though, for their sakes, so they can feel as thought they've got one over on me, and then we can just move on. But the 'me' side of me wants to screw them over and be myself. But then I don't think I could deal with twelve months of them hating me. Is my humiliation worth it..._

_What does X-Ray think, I wonder. Surely he must know that I'm ahead of every trick they're gonna try, but he hasn't shown any loyalties either way. I feel quite cheated. He'd never be in his position now if I hadn't done what I did. And what do I get? I shouldn't care, but I do. He's my only familiar face. That I look forward to seeing, I mean._

_I get on well with one of the boys, Caveman. He's relatively new here, but I think he'd help the others if it meant fitting in, he's not criminal enough to oppose them. They look like quite a force to be reckoned with._

_There's another kid I'm unsure of. Zero. Never speaks, X-Ray reckons he might be a faster digger than me even. I don't know what to make of him, I think he's a little bit of an outcast, but he likes Caveman. I think that makes Caveman torn between the popular kids, if you like, and the quieter, exiled kid._

_Ah well. I've only been here a couple hours and I'm already analysing everything._

_I'll be back on top of my fitness though! Tomorrow we'll see how much I've let myself go!_

_Jeez, I sound excited……Not normal…_

_Love you my dear, I'll mail this with the others at the end of the week!_

_Scarlett Jelly Sparrow!_


	3. She Had It Coming

**Thanks loadsa loadsa loads!! to **ThisIsPerfection** and **HermioneandMarcus** for reviewing...I felt guilty that I haven't updated for lie, ever so I thought I'd get my ass in gear and actually sort this chapter out. **

**I had several thoughts, but none of them seemed nasty enough. I mean, I planned to steal ones from other fics, but they were all good natured and friendly and I needed something relatively mean. So this is what i settled for. I know it's not very original, but I needed something easy to use and it's just a little hurdle. There's a biggie coming up, I promise. A big, lovely biggie. I'm very excited personally. Might need to change the summary though...changed my ideas a little.**

**Here you go:**

Chapter 3.

She was awake by herself a few seconds before the alarm sounded, and she was sat on the edge of the bed, staring into the darkness as the boys got up around her, ignoring her once more.

She pulled on her overalls and got her shovel, and walked at the back of the large group, away from their stares. Mr Sir marked her spot without comment, knowing she knew the procedure, and she started digging, noticing how Caveman watched X-Ray for a couple of seconds, realising he did indeed dig like Sparrow had said. She saw Zero start, and found he was digging in a similar fashion, and she carried on, ignoring the other boys as they did her.

At the first break, she saw that she and Zero were on even levels, and Caveman was on a level with the other boys, even a little bit ahead. She stood at the back of the queue, as the new kid's always did, and waited to see if X-Ray would do anything, and wasn't surprised to see him do nothing, even if he did seem to consider it. It would make him a real enemy with the rest anyway, and he needed them all on his side to be the leader.

She paused for a drink of water before resuming work immediately.

_Day two_

_You know how it is, I won't bore you with facts. I'm sore and tired. Nothing of interest happened with the others; they must not have thought of anything or else are just waiting. I might suggest X-ray has put them off, but I know he won't have. He kept me at the back of the water queue. I wasn't expecting any different. I don't mind him not favouring me or anything, but I at least wish he'd _talk_ to me. I feel so lonely, writing these letters are my only outlet of social ventilation. I'm so bored. I think I might start talking to myself. Or worse, singing. Sometimes I wish I could be a slow digger, so that when the other boys have all gone home, I could sing to myself and ease my boredom and stuff. I would just start singing anyway, but I know they all hate me, and right now, I don't want to make it worse._

_Hasta mañana_

_Scarlett Jelly Sparrow_

The next morning, climbing out of bed, she stared at the floor. Her shoes were gone. And come to think of it, where was her jumpsuit – both of them, in fact, that she had laid over the edge while she slept in her underwear and a long t-shirt.

'Oh you have _got_ to be kidding. How juvenile.'

She muttered, but however immature the joke was, the point was, she was stuck.

'Juvenile, but effective, the little buggers.'

Looking up, she saw them grinning innocently at her, and glared at them. _You won't get away with this,_ she thought, but for now decided to retain what little dignity she had, and merely rose up, snatched the nearest jumpsuit up and put it on, it being far too big, but having to do as she tied it round her waist. She stopped looking at their smug, sniggering faces and as X-Ray came in and nodded at her, she walked straight past him, pushing him hard onto the bed where the other boys were gathered, on top of Magnet and Squid, and sending the marked rocks they were using flying across the floor.

'You did _what_? She'll kill herself out here with no shoes and 'Pit's other suit on!'

X-Ray said quietly and furiously as they all looked up at him after he had scrambled off them.

'You might not like the fact that she knows this place better than any of you, or that she's been here longer, but tough. Deal with it cos she ain't goin' anywhere, and if you'd been here when she was head of D-Tent, you'd have a hell of a lot more respect for her, gottit?'

'Jeez X, we was just teachin' her a lesson! She had it comin'!'

Squid said, shakin' his head and lookin back at the others who shrugged.

'Just hope she takes this and doesn't go out for revenge. You don't wanna make an enemy of Sc- Sparrow.'

_Stupid gits._

_I cannot even begin to describe how angry and alone I'm feeling. I really wish you were here! I was happy to be back, but now I'm feeling so isolated and alone, I just wanna go home. I guess that's about right though. It's how I'm supposed to be feeling. Jeez, I feel almost normal._

No one said anything as Sparrow dug barefoot, and there was only the smallest grimace of pain on her face at the heat of the sand. She dug faster so that the sand she worked into would be cooler for her feet, but she could feel the stones cutting into the soles of her feet and there was a little blood on the floor, but she continued wordlessly.

That evening, when the other boys had finally worked up the courage to come back, they saw her sleeping, the jumpsuit back on Armpit's bed, her body curled up and her feet surrounded by a small light red pool where the blood of her newly washed feet had soaked into the bed.

'Jeez you idiots!'

X-Ray said, pushing the nearest D-tenter (Squid) across the room where he landed on his bed and glared at X, but said nothing, knowing he deserved it really.

The next morning they caught sight of her, and she walked out as usual behind them, except her avoiding stares tactic failed as they were all muttering and kept looking back.

She was walking with her head bowed, but still retained a certain dignity with this action. She had pulled a bandana over her hair, which was tied back beneath it, and when Mr Sir marked her space she set to digging wordlessly.

The boys looked around, each having spent the past twenty minutes wondering if the heat was finally getting to him, hearing voices on the wind. It wasn't cool wind, you understand, hot wind, thick with sand and dust was slapping them full force was making digging fairly futile and incredibly more unpleasant.

But they could hear someone singing.

'Dude, it's Kissin' Kate Barlow!'

Zigzag stage whispered between holes to Magnet, who shook his head.

'No man, it's the ghost of a girl who got marooned out here by her tribe for bein' infertile. I heard it before.'

Squid looked up and shook his head.

'You both idiots, Man.'

Magnet pushed his shovel into the sand and squinted across.

'What do you think it is then?'

Squid turned and pointed to the hold farthest away, and they caught a snatch of words.

'_On ne sait pas…_'

'What the hell?'

Magnet said, and the three climbed out of their holes and made their way over, Armpit and X-Ray following a little behind, until they were looking into Sparrow's hole, where they could hear the words softly but clearly in a sweet high voice.

'_Tout n'est pas blanc ou noir  
Il faut y croire…'_

She stopped when she went to shovel out some dirt and saw them lining her hole, watching her with a mixture of expressions on their faces.

'What?' She asked, and threw the dirt over the side. 'Come to throw a lizard in? Tell you what, get the others over here, you could make bets as to which'll come out alive. Actually, no, scrap that. How bout how long it'll take to get me?'

She asked sarcastically, and went back to stabbing and churning up the dirt before shovelling some more out and checking the depth.

'Look, Sparrow…we're sorry bout that. It's just hard to see someone come in whose better than us, you know?'

Armpit said, a little sheepishly, and the others nodded.

'I'm just servin' my time like ever-body else, man. You go makin' it harder for me here I'll make it harder for you next time, kay? You may not have noticed, but I'm a chick, an it ain't exactly easy startin' off here anyway, new or old.'

She said, looking round at each of them, and they nodded. Squid looked to the side and saw the wind had died down, and through it they could see the water truck comin' out.

'Mom's comin', scatter!'

He said, and they each ran away, jumpin' into their holes and picking up their shovels. Sparrow grinned to herself and shook her head, widening the edge of her hole slightly. Her voice got higher as she changed to the next verse.

'_Pourquoi changer toute ma vie  
Je veux rester ainsi…'  
_'Alright you lot, water now or you getting' none.'

Mr Sir's voice cut through her voice, and she leant her shovel against the side, singing the next line thoughtfully to herself.

'_Tout comme je suis…'_

'Hey Sparrow, you here now.'

X-Ray said, pulling her in front of Zero, Caveman, Magnet and Zigzag. The line now went X-Ray, Armpit, Squid, Sparrow, Zigzag, Magnet, Caveman and Zero.

_Hey Giselle_

_Day three_

_It's been better today, a lot better._

_I slept as much as I could yesterday, and was asleep when they got back luckily, but today was ok, I think X-Ray spoke to them or whatever. Either way, they seem to accept me a lot more now. So I'm not complaining. _

_They apologised, and so I think we're cool. They've stopped ignoring me in any case. I've been promoted in the line now; __X-Ray__, Armpit, Squid,__ Sparrow__, Zigzag, Magnet, Caveman and Zero. You proud of your baby girl?_

_I've started to look round and take notice of all the other boys a bit more now. Not in that way – I'm not you! They all seem really nice, it was a good evening. Like usual – the digging has done them _no_ harm whatsoever, and showering is always fun. Maybe I've been spending too much time with you, girly!_

_Oh well. Either way, I'm just goin' along my own way. What happens, happens, right?_

_I miss you already girl, it's so unfair. I wish you were here like last time. But that we didn't have to dig. And like, there was an actual green lake. And it was a summer camp, not Juvi. Ah well, all this wishing and dreamin', it won't do us any good now._

_Love you babe_

_Scarlett Jelly Sparrow._

**Hope you don't mind the using of Sparrow singing in French, but I thought it would lend a little more intelligence and mystique to her character...why can she speak french, is she french, was she once a high flyer in school...who knows...will we find out? I 'spec so.**

**BTW song she was singing was 'We Are One' from the Lion King...2. In french it's UNE FAMILLE and the bit where she goes higher is singing Kiara's bit. It's kind of difficult to follow as it's in bits but if you want the full thing I can put the website I got it from at the beginning of the next chapter.**

**Read and Review, lemme know what you think!**


	4. Jukebox Child

**Ok, here's a little more for you! I want to update this again later, but I'll start with one chapter and wait for some reviews hinthint!. Just to say, my internet is seriously...annoying right now, hardly ever actually works, but I'll update when I can, I have the next few chapters of this sorted so no excuse!!** **I am still open for suggestions though, I've already altered the plot majorly yesterday! Don't worry, doesn't affect what's already written!**

**Thanks to my reviewers **ThisIsPerfection, Bloody Midnight **and** girl.next.door1009. ** I have got one other holes fic up, and several more on my memory stick (affectionatly named Sebastian) plus five trillion Harry Potter so I shall upload some if you're interested in reading them! **

**Hope the songs don't overwhelm the chapter, but there's so much stuff in here I just wanted to get it out! You don't have to read them though!**

'Hey Ro, you writin' all the time but you don't send no letters! What's goin' on?'

'I write a little letter each day and send them off at the end of the week.'

'Your folks musta been gutted to see you go.'

Squid muttered from his bed to her, and she could hear the resentment, and even jealousy in his voice. But she didn't feel bad for him with her answer. Not that she should have been if she _had_ had a happy family.

'No chance. Family? What's that? I write to my best friend, Giselle. X, Gazelle.'

She said, flicking over to X-Ray, and he nodded, grinning.

'You two still tight then?'

'Only two girls in a mans world? What do you expect?'

She said, and turned back to grin at Squid, who smiled back and nodded. There was silence a couple minutes more, and the light outside faded rapidly.

'Hey…Sparrow?'

She looked up to see the rest of the ten were gathered closely to her. Squid was sprawled on her bed and Magnet was sat curled up at the end. Opposite her, on Zigzag's bed, sat Armpit at the head, Zig lying lengthways on it and X-Ray sat on the floor in front leaning back against it, sat on his pillow. Caveman and Zero were sat on Armpit's bed.

'You know the song you were singin' earlier? When we were diggin'.'

She nodded slowly, a smile threatening to spread.

Squid looked to the others for help, and Magnet sat forward a bit.

'What was it?'

She smiled this time.

'It was a song from a Disney film. The French version. I think it sounds so much prettier.'

She said, tailing off a little as she said the word 'prettier'.

'Can you sing it again?'

'Really?'

She asked, surprised, and they all nodded. She took a deep breath.

'Ok. Might not sound so great though…'

They all shrugged and looked amongst each other, and she realised how difficult it had been for them to ask her.

'One song.' She said, and closed her eyes. This is the French version of 'We Are One', from the Lion King 2, sung by Simba and his daughter Kiara. In case you wanted to sing it along with the tune, or find it on the internet. Just type in 'Le roi lion 2, Une Famille'…or something…

'_Dans la vie tu le verras  
Il arrive que parfois  
On ne sait pas'_

She started off quite high, as she remembered that it was quite low, sung by a man at the beginning.

'_On ne peut pas tout prévoir  
Tout n'est pas blanc ou noir  
Il faut y croire_'

She then went low again, as it was easier and more rhythmical.

'_Tous les jours avec toi  
Nous ferons un nouveau pas  
Même s'il semble que nos rêves soient partis  
Nous serons toujours là  
Plein d'espoir et fière de toi  
Tous ensemble nous formons  
Une famille'_

She hesitated then, as the next part of the songconsisted of the repetition of '_Une famille…une famille…nous formons…'_ several times over, and so she skipped it and went to the next verse, singing high again as the female part took over.

'_Pourquoi changer toute ma vie  
Je veux rester ainsi  
Tout comme je suis  
Mon cœur pourrait me guider  
Je ne peux l'écouter  
Que de penser_

_Ceux qui ne sont plus là  
Marche avec nous vers la voix  
Un nouveau jour se lève pour toi  
Larme de peine larme de joie  
Il n'y a qu'une seule chose qui mène  
La fierté car nous sommes  
Une famille'_

Once again she skipped the refrain, although as the last verse repeated the same tune as the one before, without it it sounded slightly odd. But opening her eyes, she saw that none of the other D-tenter's minded so much.

'_Comme le ciel et la terre  
Nous sommes tout de solidaire  
Une famille qui suit la lumière  
La sagesse, le courage  
Sont pour toi tes seuls bagages  
Car nous sommes pour toujours  
UNE FAMILLE'_

She stopped and looked around them all, and smiled weakly. There was silence for a while, and X-Ray smiled at her.

'You're real good Sparrow, how come you never sung before?'

'Do you really think I'd get taken seriously as a leader if I did?'

'Sparrow, you're the scariest chick I know, I think they'd respect you!'

Squid said, and the tension of silence broke and they laughed.

'What did the song mean? I mean, none of here understood it, although it was good an' all.'

Magnet said, and she smiled.

'It's all about being a family. It's a father singing to his daughter. The French version is a little different to the English, because they change it so it still rhymes, but he's singing to her that things aren't always clear, black or white, and that nothing is always understandable. But we still come through. Then the daughter asks if she has so much to live up to and become, can she still just be herself and make her own decisions? My favourite line is, from the English, '_we will stand by your side, filled with hope and filled with pride…_' She said, singing the small extract, 'which in the French one is '_Nous serons toujours là, Plein d'espoir et fière de toi…_' which means we will always be with you, full of hope and to count on. I think it kinda sums out how you guys have come to be with each other.'

'And with you Ro. If not this lot just yet.'

X-Ray said quietly, and she smiled at him.

'Thanks.'

'Hey Sparrow, will you sing again?'

Magnet asked quietly, shyly, as they all dissipated back to their beds, and she smiled softly as she realised although the others were getting into bed, they were now doing it as quietly as possible, to hear her answer.

'Well, I think the others want to go to sleep-'

'No, come on!'

'We don't mind!'

'Sing us to sleep Ro!'

She grinned, and felt warm that they liked her singing and wanted to hear her sing again.

'What would you like, another French song, something English or Spanish…?'

Magnet shrugged.

'We got another couple o' months, we'll hear em all hopefully!'

She grinned and nodded.

'We'll stick with French then, I know a good one.' Beauty and the Beast, from Beauty and the beast, or **La belle et la bête, Histoire Eternelle. Sung by the teapot…**

_Histoire éternelle  
Qu'on ne croit jamais  
De deux inconnus  
Qu'un geste imprévu  
Rapproche en secret_

_Et soudain se pose  
Sur leurs coeurs en fête  
Un papillon rose  
Un rien pas grand chose  
Une fleur offerte_

_Rien ne se ressemble  
Rien n'est plus pareil  
Mais comment savoir  
La peur envolée  
Que l'on s'est trompé_

_Chanson éternelle  
Au refrain fané  
C'est vrai c'est étrange  
De voir comme l'on change  
Sans même y penser_

_Tout comme les étoiles  
S'était mise en cachette  
L'histoire éternelle  
Touche de son aile  
La Belle et la Bête_

_L'histoire éternelle  
Touche de son aile  
La Belle et la Bête'_

The next morning, as usual they didn't really talk, but Sparrow found herself part of the group as the other D-tenters waited for her and walked with her, and as the sun began to rise they chatted and laughed with her.

Digging her hole, she looked up and realised the others were watching her.

'What?'

'Are you not gonna sing?'

Magnet asked, uncertainly. She smiled.

'What am I, a freakin' radio? Maybe later, I don't feel like it right now.'

She said, smiling even though she was tired still.

Halfway down with her hole, she realised if she started singing she'd never finish her hole in time.

'They'll just have to go without won't they?'

She said firmly, and took another stab into the dirt.

_Ok, last night was weird._

_Day four, by the way._

_I was singing whilst I was digging, and then back in the tent, they asked me to sing it again. Then Magnet wanted me to sing another one as they went to sleep. I do feel a little Mother Hen-ish, and feel like they're all my baby brothers! Well…most of them anyway._

_I really wanna send these letter's now, rather than wait till the end of the week, I wanna hear from you so bad. One thing I forgot to think about – I'm bloody starving! Think I'm gonna tone up and lose some weight out here. Maybe _then_ they'll see what they're missing, assholes! Probably not…Losing weight won't make my face any prettier…sadly…I'll try though, you never know!!_

_I do feel like singing now though…_

_Teardrop on the fire…fe-earless on my breyath…_

_So glad I brought my ipod…_

_Scarlett Jelly Sparrow._

'Sparrow?'

'Mm?'

She said, looking up from her letter to X-Ray, who was stood in the doorway.

'Just thought I'd warn you, we're having a counselling session this evening.'

She groaned, and he smiled.

'And there was me thinking that was the reason you came back.'

She flicked him off and rolled her eyes, finishing her letter and putting it with the rest of them.

Later that evening, sat in a circle, Mom looked at all of them.

'Now, Scarlett, what did you do _this_ time to get sent here?'

Mom asked her, first.

'Why do you always start with me?!'

She cried out, holding her arms up to the heavens. She was slouching heavily in her seat.

'Ladies first Sparrow.'

Squid said, grinning, and she flicked her middle finger at him.

'She ain't no lady!'

X-Ray put in, and she glared at him. She sat up slowly and gracefully, crossing her legs, pulling her ponytail over her shoulder, and folding her hands neatly in her lap.

'I kinda assaulted someone.'

'Who…?'

Mom prompted, and she rolled her eyes.

'A doctor.'

They all looked at her funny.

'It was self bloody defence! But did they take that into account? No they did not!'

She said, and Mom shook his head.

'Scarlett, self defence is not hitting someone over the head with a bedpan.'

The boys snorted and she grinned.

'You ain't seen my kind of self-defence. And anyways, it was whatever came to hand first!'

'Now, Scarlett. What do you want to do when you get out of Camp Green Lake?'

'Try not to get sent back?'

She guessed, and Mom smiled.

'Good. Do you know what kind of job you'd like to get?'

She snorted very unladylikely.

'Like someone's gonna employ me!'

'What do you like doing?'

She went quiet.

'Stuff.'

Mom gave her a look.

'I like to sing.'

She said stubbornly, sinking down in her chair a bit.

'Sing?'

Mom spluttered, and she sat back up defiantly.

'Yeah, and?'

'I hardly think that's a suitable career for someone like _you-_'

'What are you saying?'

She asked, standing up, and to their surprise her tone was not angry and defiant, but upset and hurt.

'Singers don't spend two years in a camp for boys diggin' holes.'

He said plainly, and for a moment they wondered if she was going to attack him. But instead, all she did was walk back to her seat, kick it aside so that it toppled back and over across the floor, and leave the circle, going outside where she began to run.

'Is she runnin' away?'

Magnet asked, sitting up. Mom turned and went quickly to the tent opening to look out.

'I don't see her, she must just be hidin' somewhere. She'll come back later. Who's next?'

_Giselle._

_I just wanna come home. I feel so cold and miserable but it's so hot here. I have friends in my tent but my self-esteem and confidence has hit rock bottom. How am I supposed to manage when I ever get out?_

'_Siempre yo sentí  
que en algún lugar  
hallaría un hueco  
esperando por mi.  
Se que triunfare  
y me aclamaran  
una voz me dice  
que yo debo estar allí'_

She sang softly to herself in Spanish, finding the soothing rhythm of the language calming. She would not let _Mom_ of all people reduce her to tears. Who cares if she couldn't sing. What did she care for singing? It was only something to pass the time. There were lots of things she could do after Camp Green Lake. Wasn't there?


	5. His Jelly baby

**Okey dokey, here's a little more on X-Ray and Sparrow and how they are together. They're NOT going out, at this point in the story they're very close as friends, but they don't know how they feel about each other, etc.**

**Thanks to my reviewers -**XoX-queen-bee-XoX - **don't worry, I can't interpret it word for word, and I take French A level :S glad you like X-ray, this story got tilted towards him after i got rather attached to writing him with Sparrow, so glad you like him too!**

Childhood-Disruption - **initially it was gonna be a Squid/oc, but like i said, I got rather fond of the way X acted with Sparrow (or how I wrote them together!) and wanted to explore that, as I haven't written one with X at the centre of attention before, so thought I'd give it a try.**

**Thanks to all my fave story and things people have stuck me in, and to all my reviewers from other chapters - hope y'all like it!**

5. His Jelly Baby

'What am I going to do?'

She whispered as X-Ray sat down beside her an hour later. He didn't quite understand what she meant, so he just sat there in silence as she leant against him.

'I missed it so much here, all you guys. I had no idea what was going to happen. But I knew I would make you proud, when you said to me to go clean. And I did, I really did. That…' She took a deep breath, but seemed to lose her nerve, and stopped talking. He didn't want to push her, knowing if he did she'd either get angry and storm off, or really upset and not talk to him again, so he just gave her space. She might tell him in her own time.

'Listen, Jelly. You gonna be fine, you hear me? Don't listen to Mom, what does he know about singin'? We love your voice, an' we love your singing. You saw us yesterday, sat round you like small kids, hangin' on your every note. Your voice is awesome, and Mom hasn't even heard you sing. So who's word you gonna take?'

He said, softly, using the pet name he had called her last time she had been like this.

'I don't know. I don't know what's going on with me anymore, I'm so retarded right now…'

'There's nothing wrong with you. You're fine. Come on, it's late, and we gotta dig tomorrow.'

She nodded and took his hand as he helped her up. They walked back to the tent, X with his arm around her shoulders, her head on his shoulder, arms folded across her chest, falling asleep as they walked.

They didn't meet anyone, and back in the tent, X-Ray took her to her bed, and sleepily she pulled her boots off and curled up on top of her sheet without any comment.

X-Ray smiled softly at her and, looking up, caught sight of Squid, who was watching them both with an unreadable expression in his eyes, but when X-Ray went to speak, Squid shook his head and rolled over. X-Ray took off his shoes to make his footsteps quieter, then walked over to Squid's bed, the light almost impossible to see in now, his vision grey and grainy.

'Squid.'

'Go away, I'm going to sleep.'

'Well wake up then.'

X-Ray said dangerously, and huffing, Squid rolled over.

'Hey what's up with you man? Why you actin' all weird?'

'What's between you an' Sparrow?'

X-Ray gave him a confused expression.

'Nuthin', she's like my sister. Sometimes older, other times, like earlier, younger. Why?'

'You guys just seem…I dunno, really close, like you're seein' each other.'

'Wha? No, no way. We don't see each other like that. Why you getting' so concerned anyway?'

X-Ray asked, becoming more argumentative. Squid shrugged.

'She might be one of us but it would never work, not here. We're at a juvi camp man, don't you see?'

Squid said, holding out his hands to his friend, but X-Ray just shook his head.

'Man you don't know nuthin' about me an' her okay?'

He said fiercely, shaking his head and leaving his friends side, going to bed himself. Next to him, Sparrow closed her eyes before he could see she had been listening.

The next day, they were farther out than Sparrow could ever remember being, and it felt like they were right in the sun, although it was probably no different to the hundreds of spots before.

'Hey Sparrow.'

She looked up and saw Squid grinning sweetly at her. She was tired, and she wasn't feeling well, although she had an idea of why.

'What?'

She asked weakly, and the others looked at him, apparently aware of what he was going to ask.

'Can you sing to us please?'

She smiled softly and nodded.

'Sure sweetie. Any preference?'

Magnet piped up.

'Can you sing something Spanish?'

'Yeah, I got just the thing. You fancy singing along?'

She asked, and he frowned.

'You'll get it. Just listen.'

She disappeared into her hole to carry on digging, but her sweet voice filled the air.

'_Yo voy a ser el rey león  
Y tú lo vas a ver'_

Magnet grinned at her as she looked to him, and carried on with Zazu's part.

'_Pues sin pelo en ese cabezón  
Un rey no puedes ser_'

'_No ha habido nadie como yo  
Tan fuerte y tan veloz  
Seré el felino más voraz  
Y así será mi voz_'

And they carried on in this way for the entire song, the others recognising the tune but not knowing the words they sang. **(Song is 'I just can't wait to be King', From the lion king, in Spanish)**

Later on in the day, they were all queueing up for water. Sparrow could barely stand up properly, but knew they'd suspect something if she didn't, so resorted to just clutching her stomach with one hand and standing as best she could. The digging wasn't helping though, and as Squid stepped up for his water, the pain overcame her and the world moved as she fainted.

X-Ray ran to her side immediately, and the boys all came running over as Mr Sir looked at her. X-Ray took some of his water and poured it into her mouth, most of it running down her cheek to mingle her hair with the dust, but she stirred and coughed, curling up to hold her stomach.

'Stick her in the truck, the warden'll sort her out.'

Mr Sir said unfeelingly, and together Squid and X-Ray carried her into the passenger seat of the truck.

'Sparrow, you gonna be ok?'

X-Ray asked her softly, and she opened her eyes by the smallest amount, and moved her lips a moment, then spoke.

'I don't know. Wait for me.'

She whispered, then put her hand up to push him away as she heard Mr Sir coming back, but she lacked all energy to do anything.

That evening, she wasn't anywhere to be seen. All through tea, they were quiet, and in the tent they seemed to be missing the spark she had brought with her.

'Mom!'

Armpit said suddenly sitting up and they looked at the tent opening as Mom came into the room.

'Where's Sparrow? Is she goan be ok?'

Mom looked gravely at them all, and each of them felt the sickening drop of their heart.

'We've been unable to reason why Scarlett collapsed today, and as a result the Warden refuses to send for help until we know what's wrong with her.'

They all jumped up from their beds in protest.

'That's ridiculous, she could be seriously ill Mom!'

Caveman said, and Mom shrugged.

'She knows what's wrong with herself and she won't say. If she'd just tell us, we could help her.'

They all looked at each other and X-Ray stepped forward.

'Can I talk to her? She might tell one of us.'

Mom looked at him.

'Jelly? Jelly? It's me, X-Ray.'

She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him.

'Jelly, you have to tell me what's goin' on, they won't get you help till you do. Something's wrong, you never get ill. What's happened?'

She closed her eyes tight, scrunching her face up, and one tear escaped to roll down the side of her face and hit the pillow. Unable to speak, she shook her head.

'Jelly, there's something seriously wrong with you! You don't just collapse, you just don't! You've got to tell me what's going on!'

She opened her eyes and shook her head.

'I can't, I just can't! You don't understand, I didn't even tell Giselle, it was a secret, none of this was supposed to happen! I wouldn't even _be_ here if…'

She tailed off as her voice, thick with sadness tailed away and she dropped her head back and began to cry weakly.

'What happened? You said you assaulted a doctor-'

'I did! That's enough X-Ray!'

'No, I've had enough. You've always told me everything, or Giselle. What are you hiding Scarlett, this could kill you.'

He said, bluntly and harshly, and she trembled and nodded.

'_Good_.'

'She won't tell me! She wouldn't say _anything_! What the hell is up with her?'

X-Ray ranted in the tent.

'Why don't one of the others try?'

Mom suggested, and X-Ray looked up.

'Why would she tell one of them? She doesn't even _know_ them!'

'No, Mom's got a point.' X-Ray glared at Caveman. 'No, X, listen, if she's so upset over this, maybe telling someone she doesn't know could be easier. She knows you'll be honest with her and maybe disappointed. Someone she doesn't know so well won't judge her as much maybe, and just give fair advice and just listen. Their opinion isn't as important as yours, maybe she can't bear to tell you because she's so ashamed of herself. She doesn't want you to stop thinking of her the way you do now.'

X-Ray nodded slowly. 'You go.'

'What?'

'Caveman. Go talk to her. Go!'

Stanley nodded and scrambled out, and Mom followed him, murmuring 'I hope you're right Stanley.'

'Hey Sparrow…it's me…its Stanley.'

'My name's Scarlett. Call me Scarlett Stanley.' She whispered, her voice cracking. 'Why have you come?'

'Well, I though that you might find it easier to talk to someone who you didn't know so well, and who's opinion you didn't care about as much.'

He said, and looked at her frail shape, looking so different from the strong, plucky, confident girl digging holes all day and picking fights with the boys.

'Please talk to me? You're tearing X-Ray apart, and the others don't know what to do with themselves. Its hit X-Ray and Zigzag the hardest, and Armpit's trying not to cry, and Squid won't let anything show. Magnet's been speaking in Spanish, and Zero's trying to go to sleep and forget about everything.'

'You should too.'

'What?'

'Forget about everything. Forget about me. I'll be gone soon.'

Stanley didn't know if she meant gone to the hospital or dead, but it didn't sound very optimistic either way.

'What happened, Scarlett? I know you don't want to tell, but don't do it for yourself. Do it for Giselle, and X-Ray, and everyone in D-tent who's worrying themselves sick hoping you'll get better.'

He said softly, and she turned away from him, and he was about to leave, failed, when she spoke.

'I…I got pregnant.'

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!!**

**Very helpful I'm sure. So what do we think of that? Answer me honestly, did anyone see it coming? Do we all wanna know what happens? we do don't we...go on...just one little review...I'll update once I get three reviews (oh I sell my soul for you) or on Sunday, whichever happens first. But come on, I want to update!!**

xxxx


	6. Heated Words

**Sorry but this is a bit more of an explainey chapter, but it is necessary for us to move along with the story. Hope you like, and apologies for not updating sooner - the ol' cpu got taken in for servicing! Not good! But here I am, here to update after recieving a total of 18 reviews alone collectively on my stories I have atm, so that is definitly cause for celebration, cookies and updates!**

**Thanks to my wondrful reviewers, **CutieCassie **(glad I'm keeping you on your toes), **Childhood-Disruption **(can you guess? You're about to find out!) and **ThisIsPerfection **(You're not fooled so easy then! glad you like it and hope I continue to deliver (hawhaw!) with my updates and the such!)**

**Thanks also to those who are reading - even if you don't review!**

6. Heated Words

'I…I got pregnant.'

Stanley froze, but she wasn't looking at him.

'I was so scared, I didn't know what to do. I went to a doctor…a friend, she knew him, said he was safe…I only wanted him to tell me about it but he said he'd sort it out and he…he killed my baby! He gave me an abortion, but I didn't want one! I never said I did, Shelley, she said he would sort me out, but I never said I wanted one, they must've assumed! When I came round…that's when I attacked him, and got sent here. I couldn't say about the abortion, I had to swear not to tell or they'd find me, so I never got to recover properly. I was fine, but I guess the digging didn't do me any good. That's why I'm ill. But no one can know! People will get in trouble, I'll get sent away, to God knows where! I'm so scared, and alone, and I don't know what to do, even now!'

Stanley reached up and took her hand.

'We'll sort this out. I promise. I'll tell the others, and-'

'No, you can't! X will never forgive me, he'll think I've betrayed him, he'd never understand!'

'Why would he think you'd betrayed him, you never-'

'It was his baby, ok?!' She cried out, and the following silence pressed in on their ears and both felt sure they could hear it echoing around the room.

'But…but I thought you two were just friends?'

She sniffed.

'But X-Ray and I were very complicated. We were never together. No one ever knew. We had one night and decided we wouldn't speak about it, because we said we didn't feel like that about each other. We said we'd only done what we had because we were lonely, and misconstrued our friendship for something more. I was going to tell him-'

'Scarlett, he'll understand.'

Stanley said, not having a clue why he was talking when it was obvious he didn't need to, and he didn't even know how X-Ray would react.

'You need to tell him.'

He said simply, and she nodded.

'Can you get him in here?'

'What is this, visiting hour? She's not a theme park attraction you know!'

Mom called at him and after him as Caveman appeared, grabbed X-Ray and dragged him off into the room.

'I'll leave you two alone.'

He said, exiting quietly, and X-Ray looked at her.

'So you'll tell Caveman but you won't tell me-'

'Rex, shut up and sit down.'

She said, using his real name and showing shades of the girl he recognised from before, and so he pulled the chair over and sat down.

'Rex, this is really difficult to say. I know you wish I could've told you, but I'd never told anyone. You shoulda been the first to know, if things hadn't gone so horribly wrong.'

She looked at him, and tried to sit up. He went to help her but she held out her hand and shook her head, and although it took her a lot of pain, she managed it, and looked at him. He was staring at the floor, and only realised she was watching him when she took his hand.

'After we…you know…I got pregnant, Rex. By you. I went to this doctor to find out what could be done, what I could do. He wasn't a licensed doctor. I was too scared to, I didn't know what to do! I went in, and he gave me some injections, I though they were for the health of the baby, we barely spoke. But he put me under, and…he aborted the baby Rex. I didn't want him to! I woulda stopped him but I couldn't! When I found out what he'd done, I just lost it! Started hitting him, hurting him, but people came in and restrained me. I couldn't say what had happened, wouldn't, no one knew anything about it, so I got sent here. The operation he did, I don't even _know_ what it was, but it hasn't stopped hurting and it was so painful afterwards…'

The pain in his eyes almost killed her, but she forced herself to look at him.

'I didn't want it to happen this way…any of it. I would've told you, it could've worked.'

'How, could it _possibly_ have worked?' X-Ray snapped, standing up and staring at her incredulously. 'You have no qualifications, I'm stuck in the desert diggin' God damn holes every day, and you have no money! What were you gonna do Scarlett Sparrow, just hope for the best?'

'I don't expect you to understand X-Ray, but I need you to listen to what I'm saying. None of this was planned, I know it wasn't, and I know you think we couldn't have worked, I know you think we _will_ never work, you said before I'm just your friend, but you deserved the right to know! It probably wouldn't have worked, I woulda ended up on the streets unable to feed myself or work, but I would never have chosen this instead, and you know that X. Please try and understand that.'

He shook his head at her.

'You're sick, you know that? Perverted and twisted and sick. You think I believe all these, these _lies _that you and him made up together?'

He said, his voice rising.

'Caveman? You think we sat here and made something up to tell you? X-Ray, grow up, these things happen, and I'm not gonna let you-'

'Not gonna let me what? So far, you've let me take most of the blame for this Sparrow, where's it gonna stop?!'

'Don't you _dare_ turn this round on me you ignorant man, how dare you possibly conceive the idea of me doing this to spite you-'

'Conceive, that's funny, you think you're so smart-'

'It always has to be about you doesn't it, always has, always will, just like when you first arrived at camp, couldn't do _anything_ by yourself, I helped you every day-'

'So what, am I supposed to be grateful? Well thank you, _thank you_ for ruining my life! I don't need you right now, I didn't need you then, I woulda done it fine by myself-'

'Fine, well just LEAVE THEN!'

She cried out, and the effort from shouting left her diaphragm in exhaustion and her stomach twinged and as he wrenched open the door she fell from her bed to the floor, tears of anger and hurt falling as she curled up to try and squeeze away the pain.

'Hey Mom, what's happenin' with Sparrow?'

Armpit asked the next day, and Mom's face fell.

'Scarlett has been removed to the hospital. She's suffering from severe internal bleeding and ripped muscle. Turns out she had a dodgy operation and didn't tell anyone about it, and now she's suffering the consequences. A lesson to you all. Always use protection.'

'What, Sparrow was pregnant?'

Magnet asked, coming over with Zigzag and Squid, and Mom nodded.

'Was being the operative word. According to Stanley, she never wanted the abortion, but was forced into it against her will. It's all very confusing…'

He said, but they had all left to find Stanley.

'Dude, what's going on?'

**So who likes? I'll update soon - next chapter's waiting in the wing...just give me some reviews and it's all yours! hinthint :D**


	7. Everyone needs something sweet

**Todays bubbles, cake and sparkly things go to:**

HermioneandMarcus: **Glad you are liking!**

XoX-queen-bee-XoX **(whose stories I love - you should read them!)**: **Don't hate X! He's just angry and confused...he thinks a lot about his actions in this...**

Moonwolf27: **Your wish is my command!**

anya winchester: **Glad I'm keeping you on your toes a little! What were you expecting?**

Ms.Dragon: **I LOVE YOU!! Thank you so much, that's really made me smile...I'm doing a little dance inside my head :D Here's some MORE for you!**

**This chappie is mainly just X-Ray thinking about how he's treated Scarlett over the time they've known one another, and he sort of analyses how she's behaved towards him. It also gives you an idea of how she was when she was leader, and what happened with them in the past. Sorry if you don't like this kinda stuff, but it's necessary, okay?**

7. Everyone needs something sweet every once in a while.

X-Ray dug his hole steadfastly, and the others knew better than to try and talk to him right now.

'_I know you think we couldn't have worked, I know you think we will never work, like you said I'm your friend, nothing more.'_

_Scarlett said earnestly, her eyes tearful as he tried to block her words out, his anger keeping his rational thoughts at bay._

'_Well thank you, _thank you_ for ruining my life! I don't need you right now, I didn't need you then, I woulda done it fine by myself-'_

_He shouted at her, wanting her to argue with him so that he could stay mad._

'_Fine, well just LEAVE THEN!'_

_So he did._

X-Ray played these dominant scenes from the previous evening over and over in his head. And then, from nowhere, another scene.

'_Hey Jelly what's up?'_

_The slightly tearful girl looked up at him, no longer the strong leader he'd always known, but now the young girl sent to juvi camp, all alone in the world._

'_Don't call me Jelly.'_

_He smiled softly and sat next to her._

'_Sorry Sparrow. What's wrong?'_

_He asked again, and she shook her head, lowering it into her arms that clutched her legs up to her chest._

'_Woah, slow down, one word at a time please. Better be a little quieter, the warden will hear you shouting.'_

_He said sarcastically, and she looked up at him, smiling weakly._

'_Haha very funny. I got a letter today.'_

_He nodded, having noticed this already – the fact that since reading it she had been less responsive and awake._

'_It was from my elder brother. He's been fired again. His girlfriend's left him. He's on the brink and there's nothing I can do because I'm here and he's in LA-'_

_Her voice threatened to spill into tears so she stopped mid-sentence to calm herself a little with fierce self-control. X-Ray put his arm round her._

'_You're allowed to cry Jelly. Just for twelve minutes, don't be Sparrow. Be Scarlett.'_

'_This IS Scarlett.'_

'_The one in your head, who thinks her own thoughts and knows the girl the best. What's she like?'_

_He said, and she looked up at him in confusion._

'_I've forgotten.'_

_She whispered, lost, and he pulled her close, hugging her as she wrapped her arms round his neck and buried her face in his shirt._

He shook his head, but accompanying this memory were words said to him by her before she left.

'_You were the first person who really saw ME.'_

_She said, and he hugged her._

'_I know you don't think it, but you made such a difference to me in so many ways.'_

Ha, the irony. X-Ray wondered if she had known she was pregnant then. She can't have, it was only four days later. But maybe? No, she would've told him. He hoped. No. She would have. No matter how angry he was at this whole situation, the person at fault was…him really. They both had known what they were getting into, and yet when she had needed him most – come clean, seriously hurt and upset, and he had yelled at her. He was the worst human being alive. And he would never see her again. Not now. They wouldn't send her back, especially if they suspected the truth – that one of the camp boys had got her pregnant. He had screwed up his only chance with her.

Squid was right. It could never work, not in here, not in the outside world. And he had clung firmly to that belief throughout it all, but she was different. She always had hope. When things had hit rock bottom she never stopped hoping it would get better. And he needed someone like that. He had needed her then, and he needed her now.

He remembered when he had first come to camp, and she had been D Tent leader.

'_This will be your tent, Rex. D stands for Diligence! Now, if you have any questions, Adam will be your mentor.'_

'_His name's not Adam.'_

_A lazy voice said from further inside the tent. They went inside and he could see more clearly, as the guy Pendanski called Adam sat on a bed, and someone at the end of the tent got up._

'_It's Vinyl.'_

_Rex tried not to show his surprise at the owner of the voice as they came into view. It was a girl. She wasn't very tall, but you wouldn't have guessed it from looking at her, the way she carried herself. Her orange overalls were tied around her waist and she was wearing a grey vest underneath that showed she had quite an ample, curvy figure, although none of the other boys were looking at her properly._

'_I'm Sparrow. Head of D Tent. You'll fall in line boy.'_

_She said, smirking a little as she looked at him, and walked away, pushing 'Vinyl' down._

'_Scarlett has been here the longest, so she's in charge. I'll leave you people to it then.'_

_Pendanski said as he left the tent, and Sparrow glared at his retreating back. Vinyl and another two boys stood up and walked round him, looking at him, pulling at his overalls, done up to the top, wiping their dusty fingers over his glasses, pushing him, poking him, roughly scrubbing the top of his head, until Sparrow stood up and said sharply 'That's enough boys.'_

_She walked over as the boys moved aside, and Rex swallowed audibly._

'_I ain't goan hurt you boy.'_

_She said in a thick Texan accent, and one of the boys laughed._

'_She the only girl on site that ain't the warden. Although she likes to think she is.'_

_He said, grinning, and she looked at him, one eyebrow raised, and he shut up._

'_So this is Six, that's Vinyl, and over there's Mars, kay? That's what you call 'em. Where are the others?'_

_She asked, turning to the rest of the tent, and they shrugged as another boy walked in._

'_Who's the new kid?'_

_She looked at him._

'_Rex.'_

_Six and Vinyl barked, and she hit them upside the head._

'_Boys, be nice to our newest member.'_

_She said, with a voice that made Rex distrustful of her._

'_That there's Pyro okay?'_

_Pyro grinned at him and Rex backed away as subtly as possible._

'_Stop scaring the kid Pie!' She said with a laugh. 'Rex, you're over here okay?'_

_She said, pointing, then jumped back on her bed. Rex nodded, taking this as the end of his introduction to the tent._

'_So it's for real Shifty's got out?'_

_Vinyl asked, and Sparrow nodded._

'_Yeah, lucky spaz. I've been here longer than him, I done at least thirty more holes than him, and he gets it for sucking up to Sir. Unreal.'_

'_Always said he'd do it though.'_

_Six said thoughtfully, and Sparrow and Vinyl threw a boot at him._

'_Shuttup Six, you ain't got longer than twelve holes here, what do you know?'_

_Vinyl said, grinning, and Rex watched with interest the group dynamics._

He had stayed in the background, soaking it all up, only putting in his two cents when it was needed, but otherwise avoiding anything that went on.

'_So new kid, what landed you here?'_

_Mars asked, grinning and sitting cross legged on Rex's bed, getting the sheet muddy with his boots, but daring him to say anything._

'_I broke into my school and nicked several thousands worth of computers and shit.'_

_He said in his smooth voice, and Mars's eyebrows went up._

'_For real?'_

_Rex nodded. 'Woah.'_

'_You girls exchanging cup sizes?'_

_Sparrow drawled as she walked in, throwing her towel onto her bed and plaiting her hair, watching them._

'_If we did we'd so beat your ass.'_

_Mars said casually, and got a towel in his face for his comment._

'_I'll have you know…well, no, actually I won't, it'll be all over camp.'_

'_We'll just steal your underwear and find out.'_

'_Be my guest, but I'll tell everyone I saw you trying it on.'_

_Sparrow said with a wicked glint in her eyes, and Mars laughed off the threat, shaking his head._

'_So new kid, how much time did you get?'_

'_Forty five weeks.'_

_She raised her eyebrows. 'What did you do, rob a bank?'_

'_No, a schools computers!'_

_Mars put in, and she shook her head._

'_Man, that's not cool.'_

_She said, and Mars frowned suddenly, anxious to agree._

'_Mmm.'_

It had been Mars who had thought up his nickname, X-ray because of how his glasses slowly built up with dust throughout the day, and yet he still saw everyone and everything.

**Sorry for the weird ending, I myself thought I'd missed some off the end, but nope! Anyway, review muchly cos there's another chapter waiting in the wings! **


	8. Sorry for everything

**Hehe, I just read through this chapter and it's really good...I haven't looked at this story for a while, but I have a chapter waiting after this (which I'm gonna read and refresh my memory for) so bring on the reviews and I shall reward you with milk, cookies, bubbles, glitter and, of course, an update :D**

**Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: **XoX-queen-bee-XoX **(You're probably right - I'd never realised that before!!), **ThisIsPerfection **and** Ms.Dragon.

**But seriously. Three reviews?! Come on guys! I will update for no less than four. Unless I get bored. Please? puppy dog eyes ooh wait no - puss in boots kitty eyes!!**

'D Tent?'

They all looked up as Pendanski walked in.

'What is it Mom?'

Squid asked, and he waved a fat envelope.

'Package for the whole of D Tent.'

He said, raising his eyebrows, and chucked it at Zigzag, who tore it open and a pile of letter spilled out.

'They're for us!'

He cried, and they all ran over, finding the ones with their names on and Magnet turned to see X staying exactly where he was. He had sent this scene before. Two weeks after Sparrow had left, she had done this, sent them each a letter, and a picture.

'X…this one's yours.'

Armpit said, handing him one, and X ignored it, rolling over on his cot, so Armpit flicked it into his cot, and sat down to read his letter.

**I'm not gonna tell you all the letters, they're just general putting-on-a-brave-face chit-chatty things. But here's Caveman's:**

_Hey Caveman. _

_He's still mad at me isn't he. I'm sorry for turning all your lives upside down, it's not the first time I've screwed things up, but this is probably the worst. _

_I've been sent to an all-girls juvi, and it's ok I guess. I've seen Giselle, my friend who I always write to, and she's doin' ok. I've written to X as well, but I doubt he'll read it, he's too stubborn. I hope he's not taking it out on you or anything, now I'm gone._

_How're things going? I mean with teaching Zero to read and stuff. I wrote him a letter but you'll probably have to read it to him, but I didn't want him to be left out. _

_Keep digging those holes, remember, each one is one hole closer to getting out. That's how I saw it anyway. Unless, like me, you recently had a back street abortion, but I thought you knew better than that?_

_Love Scarlett._

Caveman looked around and saw the other boys still reading there's, and then he looked to Zero, who held the letter up, and Caveman sat by him and read it to him.

X-Ray ignored the letter. He had nothing to say to her.

_They were all sat lazing in the tent, and the discussion Vinyl and Six were having was brought into the fore of the tent._

'_So Mars, you got a girl waitin' for you when you get out?'_

'_How about five?'_

_He said, and not believing him they laughed at him. 'You liar Mars, you got a bloke waitin' for you ain't you!' Sparrow yelled out, and he scowled. 'Aww poor baby!'_

_She said wickedly, and he frowned even more._

'_Have you two?'_

_She asked Vinyl and Six, and they shook their heads._

'_No, we're savin' ourselves for you Ro.'_

_She laughed harshly. 'You'll be savin a long time boys!'_

_They grinned and Six wiggled his eyebrows, but she rolled her eyes and looked away._

'_What bout you Pyro?'_

'_I did, but I'm not sure if she'll hold out all this time. The letters have been getting less and less…'_

_He said softly, and Sparrow's face instantly changed to one of compassion. 'It's hard being so far away from someone though Pyro, you gotta understand that for her.'_

_He nodded and they all looked at her._

'_What?'_

'_You gotta boyfriend back home Ro?'_

_She laughed and shook her head. 'No chance. They're all retards, rapists and perverts in my town!'_

'_What about you X, you got a girl somewhere?'_

_He shook his head. 'All the girls went for my older brother, not me. It's the glasses; no one wants to date a geek.'_

_He said with little conviction, and they shrugged, as boys not offering support, but it was there, he knew._

'_Just wait till you boys get out…every girl loves a bad boy.'_

_Sparrow said sensuously, smiling slyly and looking at them all._

'_Ah man, what do you gotta do that for? Now I need a shower!'_

_Pyro joked, sending them all off in laughter once more._

It had been so good, and if he could get rid of the digging holes part, he could say he had enjoyed his time there. He had made friends, been accepted…and then when Giselle had come along, it had changed everything. That had been a crucial turning point in his time at Camp Green Lake.

'_Boys, this is Giselle, I expect you all to treat her with respect. Scarlett, you will be her mentor.'_

'_What?!'_

_Sparrow yelled, the leader was never the mentor._

'_I'm making an exception Scarlett, you're the only girl in the camp.'_

_Knowing she couldn't change this, she settled for muttering through gritted teeth 'It's Sparrow.' Pendanski waved and left the tent. Giselle was blonde and willowy, with an athletic body and pale blue eyes. Sparrow frowned at her._

'_Alright chick, here's how it works. I'm the leader of D Tent, you do as I say. You don't make relationships with the boys, you don't let them touch you. Trust me.'_

_She said darkly, and Giselle looked scared, not entirely understanding of why she should trust this freaky girl._

_Six stood and came over._

'_Don't worry about Sparrow, she's just funny cos the leader of the tent isn't supposed to mentor. I'm Six.'_

_She smiled. 'Giselle.'_

'_That's X-Ray, Mars, Vinyl and you know Sparrow now.'_

'_Why do you have nicknames?'_

'_Because that's what we do.'_

_Sparrow said sharply, and X-Ray frowned. Sparrow really did have a problem with this girl. As Six, Mars and Giselle left, Vinyl threw a ball of scrunched up paper at Sparrow._

'_What?!'_

_She snapped, and Vinyl held up his hands defensively. 'What's your problem? Do you know her?'_

'_No.'_

_Sparrow said, a little surprised._

'_Then why are you being a bitch?'_

_Vinyl said bluntly, making her scowl again._

'_I don't like newcomers.'_

_She said, making no sense. She had been friendly enough to him, and Vinyl also knew she was always tough but fair on new boys, when she had been leader and before. She had never been like this with anyone, not first off._

It seemed odd to him now, since Gazelle and Sparrow had eventually become the closest of friends, but something had upset her. And it was only now that it was beginning to click what it was.

_She always made him laugh, and smile; she did it with everyone. And it made her blood boil. Joking and messing around in the tent one evening, all of them except Sparrow, who sat on her cot glaring at the opposite side of the tent, grinding her teeth every so often, she finally stood up, seething._

'_For __God's__ sake girl, you can't be like this!'_

_She yelled, and Giselle turned, confused and hurt. 'What do you mean?'_

'_Yeah, what __do__ you mean Ro?'_

_Vinyl asked, narrowing his eyes. _

'_Her! This is a __juvenile delinquents__ camp, for __criminals__! You can't __be__ happy! And you can't enjoy yourself!'_

'_Jeez Sparrow, are you trying to stop us making the best of our lot?'_

_Mars asked, and she glared at him, making him cower._

'_No, I'm not. But don't you think something will happen to all of us if it gets back to Sir or the Warden that we're having too much fun? I'm not having this group split up!'_

'_You're overreacting Sparrow.'_

_X-Ray said quietly, and she looked at him, shook her head, and strode from the tent._

'_Why does she hate me?' Giselle asked anxiously. 'I never even did anything and she hated me at first sight.'_

_Vinyl shook his head and jerked his head to X, and the two of them left the tent._

Giselle had made Scarlett insecure about her place in the camp. Being the only girl, and leader of the tent, was a strong position, and the attention she had formerly received as a girl was now totally redirected to Giselle. It wasn't jealousy, the boys neglected her. Any problems and stories were now told to Giselle, leaving Sparrow in the dark. This seriously challenged her position as head of the tent as well. The way the system worked was that when the leader of the tent left, they declared the new leader, normally the person due to leave after them. If they weren't up to it, it went to someone else, but that was rare and considered a great shame.

'_What's wrong?'_

_She looked up at him as he stood over the hole she had settled in. She looked so small and vulnerable, so different to the cocky tent leader who could outwit and out-anything the other boys. He jumped down and sat beside her, and she hesitantly rested her head on his shoulder._

'_Talk to me.'_

_He said, and she looked at him._

'_I'm being shoved out. I saw it happen once, but never thought it would happen to me. It's a horrible feeling.'_

'_When did it happen?'_

'_When I arrived.'_

_He looked at her curiously._

'_I don't want her to get hurt. I learnt the hard way, I really am looking out for her. It just…I do so much for them, for you all, and it's just thrown back in my face when someone else comes along…I'm hanging on by the tips of my fingers.'_

_Her voice was hollow and hopeless, as though she was merely explaining the situation, and had given up looking for answers._

'_It's not over yet Jelly.'_

_He said, looking at her, and she smiled a little. 'Why Jelly?'_

_He shrugged. 'First sweet food that came to mind.'_

_At the word sweet she even blushed a little, and X suddenly realised she was a girl. Obviously he had noticed, but he seemed to see her in a more feminine light. She was very pretty. Long dark hair, dark eyes, clear skin and quite petite, but voluptuous at the same time. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze._

X swung his legs over the side of his bed and picked out the letter. Seeing this, the boys smiled and exchanged significant looks, but either turned away, left the tent, or set about some other distraction.

_X-Ray, Rex, X. _

_I don't even know if you'll read this, but please, if you've started, read it all. There's a lot to say._

_It's easier in a letter. I'm not being cowardly. But I'm gone now, and even if I were there, would you even speak to me? Granted, if I was still there, I'd pin you against a wall/cot and __make__ you listen, however difficult that might be…I could get the guys to help._

_I've been nothing but trouble, right from the start. But you always helped me through it, whether it was Giselle, that argument, or that time with Spiral. And I guess I felt I could trust you. I don't trust many people. I trusted only you and Vinyl, in that whole camp. Purely. I liked the other boys, just like I liked the ones before them, and the ones you lead. But I still have to be Sparrow. Only you, Vinyl, Caveman and my brother ever saw Scarlett._

_What I wanted to say was, generally, I'm Sorry. Sorry for getting sent back to camp, being messed up, coming back into your life, getting pregnant, going to that __fucking__ doctor, shouting, screaming, kicking, yelling…falling for you._

_Scarlett Sparrow._

X-Ray froze. A part of him, he guessed, had always known Scarlett had fallen for him. And it all fitted together. In their argument- _I know you think we couldn't have worked, I know you think we __will__ never work, like you said I'm your friend, nothing more…_She said _you think_. But she didn't think that. She believed they could.

X-Ray pulled a sheet of paper towards him. He'd reply alright.

**hehe, exciting is it not? Well I'm excited!**


	9. May or may not

**So.....firstly, very sorry for taking so long to update. I know how annoying it is, because you forget what was going on in the story, so you may want to check the last chapter over to remind yourselves...**

**I like this chapter, and trust me, in my opinion, it gets better here on. I've got enough already written to put up roughly two more chapters after this, so review my lovelies and you shall get bubbles, marshmallows and a shiny new chapter :D**

_Scarlett…Jelly._

_I've done this all wrong haven't I? I'm so blind, so __stupid__, I can't see two feet in front of my own face, and yet they call me X-Ray. It's ridiculous. But that's no excuse. You don't need to apologise, you've done nothing wrong. Meeting you was one of the best experiences of my life, and I can't believe the sensation's gone. _

_Everyone here misses you, there's a little life gone from the tent. You should've seen how happy they were when your letters came. Caveman's helping Zero write his back._

_I just wish I could've said goodbye. I've got three months left, and you've still got eight. I miss you so much, it hurts sometimes. And what you said…I knew it all along, somehow, but I didn't realise it. I was such an idiot, messing you around, when if I'd thought about it the answer was obvious. I'm in love with you Jelly, I always have been. And now, when I finally realise it, you're not around to hear it. _

_The two months without you were torture. But I kept your letters…they're in my crate. The guys don't know that the 'mysterious letters' I read and reread are from you, well, they know they're from a girl, but they haven't made the connection yet. _

_As soon as I get out, I'm coming to find you. I'll visit you no matter what, and then when you get out we can see how it goes. _

_I just want you to know, if you'd kept the baby, I would've been there for you no matter what. Whatever decision you'd made, I would've supported you, realising I was in love with you or not. I know I got angry, but whatever I feel for you is always so strong…always has been I guess._

_Love, Rex._

Tears streaming down her face, Scarlett looked up from her letter in the night, reading by match light.

_-~*~-_

The boys from D-Tent sat in a group in their section of the yellow school bus that was ferrying all of the former Camp Green Lake delinquents back to their homes.

'What you gonna do when you get back Magnet?'

'Get a dog.' He said with a grin, making them all burst out laughing. 'What about you Zig?'

'I wanna go to college.'

The boys nodded, realising none of them knew what they were _actually_ going to do with their lives.

'I'm gonna find Sparrow.' X said and the others all voiced their agreement.

'Man, you guys should get _married_!' Magnet said with a grin, and the boys laughed as X-Ray shrugged.

'I'm not saying anythin'.'

_-~*~-_

When X-Ray, Caveman, Zero and Armpit got to the California State Prison, they were shown into a waiting room. Stanley's lawyer appeared, and looked surprised at seeing them, then tired.

'What are you boys doing here?'

'Seeing a friend. You?'

Caveman said, as X looked round for some way to get to see Scarlett.

'Working on a case of assault vs Self Defence. It's practically playing into my hands, I could've got the girl out today, if she hadn't started a fight with one of the other inmates, so I'm gonna have to do damage control.'

A man came through – a security guard. 'Are you Miss Sparrow's lawyer?'

'Yes!' She said, jumping up, and they stared.

'Scarlett Sparrow?' Armpit repeated, she nodded, not really paying them much attention.

'You can see her now.' The guard said, showing the curly haired woman into another room. She reappeared not a moment later. 'Boys, could you come through a moment please?'

Standing up, they nodded, looking at each other and moving slowly into the room. Scarlett was sat slumped in a chair on the other side of a plastic screen. She was wearing navy blue overalls, open up the front and falling off her shoulders, and underneath she wore a black vest top. Her hair was longer than before, and messed up a little as it was tied back. She had a bruise on her cheekbone already forming.

Her eyes widened as she saw them coming in and she sat up, tears coming into her eyes as she saw them all.

'Guys, but…I thought you had another-'

'Camp closed down. Man we have a whole story to tell you.'

Armpit said with a grin, and she smiled at them, settling back a bit, her eyes constantly flicking towards X, who was watching her calmly, not letting anything on.

They had kept writing to each other, but it was mostly just as before, the only difference in their relationship being they were no longer 'just friends'. The only part to change would have been the physical side, which was impossible, so now, flung together, they were still just as stuck as they had been.

'I'll do my best, but it might well be another few days before you get out after starting that fight. Why did you start it? What happened?'

'It wasn't my fault!'

'Scarlett you punched another girl in the face and called her a whore. Care to explain?' Her lawyer asked tacitly as the boys sniggered. She sighed.

'She was talking shit about my time at Green Lake, saying I could count the guys I hadn't slept with there on one hand, and saying how I was only sent there to relieve tension and be thrown around the camp a bit, and I just lost it, she don't know shit about Green lake she wouldn't survive a day there and so…I _may_ have punched her in the face, and there's the _smallest_ possibility that I called her a whore. Very loudly. And erm…after that…I may or may not have pushed her into another girl who then, _quite_ probably, may have punched me back. So we all gave as good as we got really!'

'And the full scale fight that followed had noting to do with you…' Her lawyer added doubtfully.

'Exactly.' Scarlett said, trying not to smile.

'Maybe two weeks.' She said with a sigh, standing up. 'Right, come on, we've been here long enough as it is.' She left the room, the boys following, except X-Ray.

'Give 'em a minute.' Caveman mumbled, and they left the two alone.

X-Ray put his fingers up against the small slits in the plastic where they could hear each other, and she did the same, so their hands touched lightly.

'I've missed you.' He said softly.

'I still do.' She replied, smiling sadly.

'Just get out as soon as you can…I'm livin' in an apartment with Zig an Squid.'

She smiled and nodded.

'I'll do my best. Hey, call Giselle…she'd love to see you now you're out…maybe you could hook her up with one of the guys.' She said with a smile, and X nodded.

'Stay out of trouble. I love you.' He said, and her heart sped up as she heard the words from his mouth for the first time.

'I love you too.' She said, wanting more than ever to be able to touch him, be near him, but no, she was in prison, he was free.

**oooooooh. so come on, what did we think?**


	10. Enter Giselle

**Alrighty then! Hello, very sorry for taking ages to update, but here we are! Apologies if you were hoping for more Sparrow in this chapter, but I thought I'd introduce you properly to Giselle, since you've heard so much about her and have yet to meet her! More Sparrow in the next chapter, which is already written - so as soon as I have lots of reviews I will update! I'll try and get another chapter up before friday.**

**Loveage to **AnImEfReAk4994, Thunderspell **(love the name), **LovingBlackParadise **(she was initially planned for Squid but then I thought no, let's do something different for a change!)**, ShelbySarles **and especially **Midnight LeAnn, **my amazing reviewers. Want to be mentioned here? Review!**

'X!' Giselle shouted as she opened the door. X-Ray laughed as she hugged him tightly.

'Hey Elle.'

'How are you, I can't believe you're out!'

'Yeah, well, not all of us were proven innocent! Nah, there was a take over at camp after some foul-play, and we're all free and Green Lake's been closed for good!'

She cried out and hugged him again.

'Have you seen Ro?'

He nodded. 'We're cool, I know everything that happened.'

Giselle nodded. 'Yeah, she said as much in her letters, but I'm glad to hear it from you too.'

'Listen, I'm livin' not too far away from here, do you fancy comin' over tomorrow evenin'? Meet the new D-tent?'

'Yeah sure. Where do you live?'

'Here. There's a surprise too.' He said, grinning and handing her a piece of paper with his address on.

'What is it?'

'Dunno. Only Zigzag knows, and knowing him it'll be either very strange or fire related, so don't get your hopes up!'

Giselle was shown into the apartment by a grinning X-Ray.

"Guys, this is Gazelle, she's over all o' you." He called over their heads. "Elle, meet the new D-Tent." He said, leading her over to the group and kicking Magnet out of his seat to make room for her. "That's Magnet, there's Zero, Caveman, Armpit, Squid and Zigzag." He said, pointing them all out, and Giselle smiled at them all.

"Hey. You're the one with the surprise right?" Giselle said, and to everyone's surprise, he blushed.

"Yep."

X-Ray raised his eyebrows and shook his head, turning back to Giselle. "You get used to it, he's a bit weird. So what have you been doing now?" He asked, shoving Zero out of his chair, where he slid happily to the floor without taking his eyes off the page he was reading.

"I'm training to be a nurse." Giselle said proudly. "I've done a year of my course already, and I'm loving it!"

"That's pretty cool." X-Ray admitted, raising his eyebrows, and Giselle grinned.

"Yup. I'm one of the top in my class too, which is just amazing but I've been working so hard for it...this is one of the few social evenings I've had since I got out, my parents were so relieved!"

"Relieved?"

Giselle smiled guiltily. "I didn't really tell them it was with a bunch of Camp Green lake kids. They've only just gotten over the fact that I'm still in touch with you and Ro, let alone all the others that I write to."

"The others? How are they?" X asked, anxious for news from his old friends. Giselle smiled in amusement at what she was evidently about to say.

"Well Vinyl and Sparrow are still in touch as far as I know, those guys were pretty damn close. He's got a girlfriend, they're living in New York. She's a journalist, he's a photographer, and a damn good one, I've seen his pictures."

"I always thought he'd do something in music." X-Ray said thoughtfully, but Giselle shook her head.

"Nope. He just loves old things – _that's_ where his nickname comes from. Record players, cameras, proper cameras, the ones with real film. He's got his own darkroom, processes all his own film. I've got some pictures of his, I'll show you them sometime. Mars is an mechanic now, he's working to get his own garage soon, he's back home in California, some town there. Pyro...has disappeared. No one knows where he's gone, we've kind of lost touch...I don't know. And Six is working as a lifeguard, movie usher and...sales attendant thingie. He's doing a course at the local college in computers, so he can do something like that." Giselle finished, and X smirked.

"A course in computers?"

Giselle sighed and rolled her eyes. "Well _I_ don't know, something like that. He told me but I can't be expected to remember stuff like that can I? All I know is, they're all doing ok."

"Maybe we should get them all together. When Scarlett is out, I mean." X suggested, then frowned as Giselle smiled softly at him. "What?"

"You called her Scarlett. You really do like her, don't you X." She stated – it wasn't a question. X nodded, unashamed, but mainly because it was just Giselle he was talking to.

"I love her Elle. I can't stand being apart from her, but I just keep thinking, she'll be out soon, and then we've got forever."

Giselle nodded. "You have, you really have."

**Know what I realised? I completely forgot to put in Zigzag's surprise, in my haste to get this chapter up...so i will pop it in the beginning of next chapter! Any guesses as to what it might be....?**

**Miss Paparella xx**


	11. ZIGZAG's Secret

**Thanking my lovely reviewers: **AnImEfReAk4994, ShelbySarlesluvsdtentandweasly, Midnight LeAnn **(I loved your review, it was so awesome, it made me smile =]), **My-Edward-1992 **and** XoX-queen-bee-XoX **(I'm glad other people write lovely long reviews as well - it's not just me! I apologise for your withdraws! Kinda worried now you've said how much you like Zig...hope you like his surprise!)**

**Ok, so here's the formidable surprise you've been waiting for...actually there's two surprises! Don't scroll down too quickly or you'll spoil it - I've done it deliberately so your eyes don't get distracted and miss the build up.**

They all congregated into the tiny walk-in kitchen to try and make pasta for them all. Giselle quickly took charge and they let her, gradually falling back to the sidelines after they decided they couldn't be bothered, couldn't help, were in the way or Giselle shouted at them.

Eventually they had a massive vat of pasta, and they sat down at the table, Giselle dishing it out to the hungry, greedy boys.

"So Zig, what was your surprise?" Magnet asked, suddenly remembering. Zig zag grinned and Squid groaned.

"Not now, we're eating..."

"I thought you said Zig was the only one who knew-" Giselle said and X nodded.

"I thought he was. Hey man what's going on?" He demanded as noise broke out as people started all talking over each other. Over the entire noise, Zigzag's voice called out over the top...

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"SQUID AND ME ARE GAY."

They all fell silent. "What?" Armpit asked eventually. Squid was bright red and was eating his pasta quickly, wanting to get away. Zigzag was smiling happily at them all.

"You heard me. We're gay. Together."

Giselle saw that this could go either way and stepped in. "For how long?" She asked curiously, trying not to smile.

"About a month."

"_Not_ while we were at Green Lake?" Caveman asked nervously, and Squid shook his head virulently.

"No way man. I ain't no queer."

Giselle snorted. "Well you _clearly_ are." She said with a grin, and he shook his head.

"I ain't attracted to guys." He said adamantly. "Just...him." He said with a shrug, glancing at Zigzag, making eye contact for the briefest moment and then looking away again, blushing and trying not to smile at his pasta. Again there was silence until...

"That's _so_ cute!" Giselle declared, and the spell was broken as normal D-Tent atmosphere resumed. The teasing started, obviously, but Squid seemed to bear it well, and X was proud of his team that none of them acted differently towards the two. It might have helped that Giselle had reacted so well. _This_ was why you had girls around.

He found himself lost in his thoughts the moment that thought led him elsewhere.

The phone buzzed, and Zig went over to it.

'Yeah?'

'Pizza.'

'Sure come on up.' He said, opening the door and going back to the ps3 he, Squid and Magnet were playing on. Caveman was chatting up Giselle (for the millionth time it seemed) and Zero was reading…anything he could find really. Armpit and X-Ray were arguing about basketball teams.

At the knock on the door an argument ensued as to who was going to get it, and in the end Giselle got up, all the boys being too engrossed, and Caveman went to help Zero with the word 'manipulate'.

It was only when Giselle cried out 'OH MY GOD!' that they all looked up to see that Giselle had jumped on whoever it was at the door. 'You freakin' liar!' She shouted as she let go of a laughing and crying Scarlett, and hugged her again.

'Well I couldn't blow it could I?' She said, laughing and hugging Giselle again. 'Miss me much?'

'Sparrow!' The ps3 had been paused, Zero had thrown down his book and Armpit and X-Ray couldn't care less about basketball anymore. Scarlett hugged them all, but X-Ray hung back, and as they dissipated and Giselle, Armpit and Caveman paid the real pizza boy, Scarlett turned to X. 'Miss me?'

X-Ray took her hand and pulled her to him, taking her in her arms and pausing to relish her being close before leaning down to kiss her forcefully. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer, and their tongues met quickly, until there was a cough and Zigzag said quietly, 'Guys, pizza…'

Laughing, Armpit shouted out 'Dude, eat the pizza not Sparrow!'

They pulled away but kept close, threading their fingers in together and sitting next to each other as they laughed and joked.

As Caveman walked Giselle home, Zero waited for him as he was driving the two of them back. Armpit had left already, and Magnet was hugging Sparrow goodbye.

'I can't believe we made it.' Scarlett said, and he grinned.

'It only gets better from here, trust me.'

She smiled, gave him another hug, and Magnet called over their heads a goodbye as he left. As a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and a head rested on her shoulder, Scarlett knew who it was.

'Hey', she said softly, turning in his arms as he kissed her cheek.

'Do you have a place to stay?' He murmured into her hair as he breathed in her smell.

'Kinda.'

'Do you wanna stay here tonight?'

'Kinda.'

His laugh rumbled through her, and they barely noticed as Zigzag and Squid switched off the TV and went into their separate rooms. They were very conscious of that when people were around. They were definitely _not_ couple-y.

Lying in X-Ray's arms, wearing his t-shirt and only that, Scarlett knew that was the happiest she had ever been.

**I had some of this written already, and have added extra bits in, so the old stuff uses ' as speech marks, the newer uses ". Anyone spot that in the last chapter?**

**I don't know if we have any Torchwood fans out there, but I stole the 'I'm not attracted to men, just him' bit from that...because it was just the cutest thing ever?! I hope no one hates me for making them gay, but I thought Squid's reaction was just how it would be - I think he's really defensive and so homophobic even though he is a bit...if that makes sense? I thought they were a good pair, Zig so laid back and Squid so...not. I'm not gonna go making either of them act un-characterish though, promise.  
**

**Anyone up for a tiny bit of coupley love from them two? Let me know, review, and I'll give you a chapter full of fluffy coupleyness if you like, we'll have a vote, you can have X and Sparrow, Squid and Zig or Caveman and Giselle. Or all three, if you'd like....**

*****REVIEW!!!!!***  
**


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